Combination rule and slidable head



June 29, 1937. .1. s. CHAFEE COMBINATION RULE AND SLIDABLE HEAD FiledJune 11, 1935 llll lllllllllfl INVEN TOR. (fa/712 J2 050x66 i @314 M ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 29, 1937 PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION RULE AND SLIDABLE HEADJohn S. Chafee, Providence, R. I., assignor to Brown & SharpeManufacturing Company, a corporation of Rhode Island -Application June11, 1935, Serial No. 25,996

12 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to a rule with a head member movable therealongfor testing or laying out purposes; and has for one of its objects theprovision of means whereby the relative position of the rule and thehead member can be adjusted for securing the desired relation of the twoparts.

Another object of theinvention is the provision of a lateral adjustmentof the rule relative to one of the heads so that the parts may bevariously adjusted to suit the convenience of different users.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an aligning'oradjusting means so that the head may be moved through different angularpositions or adjusted laterally of the rule for securing the desiredrelative position of the two parts.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a constructionwhereby the parts may be aligned without the accurate grinding ofcertain surfaces of thehead part which has heretofore been necessaryAnother object of the invention is the provision of a construction whichfrom a manufacturing standpoint may effect a great saving in themanufacture of the parts, such for instance as a provision by which amultiplicity of parts can be ground together.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a rule or scale with several differentheads mounted thereon which are supplied as a combination set;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view of a portion of the rule, showing the centerhead in section as mounted thereon";

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the center head;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of .Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 3.

In the manufacture of a combination rule and centering, testing ortruing up heads slidable thereon, it has been necessary to grind thecontacting surfaces of the parts including the slot in the head whichreceives the scale with ac- 0 curacy in order that a proper position andalignment of the different parts of the assembly may be had. In the caseof the grinding of the center head on the scale, it was necessary togrind each surface individually because of the necessity of indexing thehead from its first grinding position about a pivot point which passesthrough the apex of the right angularly related faces was to accuratelyposition the second face sothat it may be ground in a definite relationwith reference to the other ground faces and also so that its apex is ata certain definite position withrelation to the surface edge of the slotwhich slides along the edge of the scale; and I have provided a meanswhereby much less expensive procedure need be had in themanufacture asthe surface of the slot need not now be in a definite relation to theapex or intersection of the right angular faces of the center head, andI may make certain adjustments by reason of two pins so that the slotmay be cut deeper and then the ends of these pins which project into theslot serve as guiding points to engage the edge of the scale and causeit to be properly aligned with the apexof the angle by the two rightangular surfaces. By reason of these spaced points of contact I maycause an angular relation to be had between the edge of the scale andthe right angular surfaces'which engage the work, and thus I do not needto accurately align the edgesof the slotnor do I need to have a slot ata certain definite angular relation by'reason of my adjusting pins.Further, by this arrangement, I can grind a multiplicity of center headsurfaces at one position and then turn this multiplicity abouta'pivot'parallel to the apex of the angle formed by the two meeting'surfaces and grind the other surface. Thus it is not necessary to grindeach center head individually or turn each one about an axis passingparallel to the edge of the slot which formerly engaged the edge of thescale, whereby I am enabled ,to

eifect a great saving in theprocess of the manufacture of the parts aswell as obtaining an 'instrument capable of more extended use; and thefollowing is .a more detailed description of the present embodiment ofthis invention, illustrating the preferred means by which theseadvantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, 1 have shown a rule or scale I 0 which isprovided with a groove l I extending longitudinally in one surfacethereof, preferably in the center thereof with the opposite edges l2and. I3 of this rule parallel to the center groove 1 I extending midwaybetween these opposite edges l2 and I 3.

Various heads are shown in Figure 1 as mounted on the rule, therebeing'a square head I4, a protractor head l5 and a center head l6illustrated in Figure l. Eachof these heads has a slot for the receptionof the rule In anda means for .engaging the groove 1 I anddrawingoneedge of this slot towards the edge of the rule. This invention may beapplied to any one of these heads, although it is particularly useful inconnection with the center head I6, and I will, accordingly, describethe same in further detail in connection with this center head, althoughI do not limit myself to its use in this head for any of its functionswhich may be performed elsewhere.

The center head l6 consists of a body portion H with arms I8 and I9extending therefrom, the surfaces and 2| of which are in right-angularlyextending planes or at 90 one to the other. The apex of this angle willbe'd'esignated generally 22. A slot 23 is cut through the body I6 andone of the arms so as to receive the rule Ill. One surface 24 of thisslot which has heretofore been required to pass through the apex 22 ofthe angle 'or through the intersection ofth'e right angularly extendingsurfaces 20 and 2| and also in a plane half way between the planes ofthese two surfaces, is now out deeper than heretofore so that thesurface 24 of the edge of this slot is in a plane which does not passthrough the apex of this angle but israther at one side andalthoughpreferably so it is not necessarily parallel to thisplane.

A pair of openings 25 and 26 are bored in the body portion I! of thehead and tapped to receive thejthreaded pins 21 and 28 which providebearingsurfaces 29 and 30 to, engage the edge l3 of the rule I0. Thesepins are slotted as at 3| so that they may be engaged by a screw driveror the likelfor adjustment by rotation so as to project one or the otherof these further into'the slot and'thus vary the relative position ofthe rule in the .head, either laterally by moving both pins the sameamount'to determine whether or not the edge l3 passes through the apexof the angle 22 or to oneside thereof for the accommodation of thethickness of a pencil line or the like, or these pins 21 and-28 may beadjusted one more than the other so as to vary the angular relation ofthe edge |3 with-reference to the surfaces 20 and2| and thus adjust theedge so thatit will accurately be located in a plane half way betweenthe plane of-the surfaceslfl and 2| orat any other desired positionwhich may be required. These pins 21 and28 areheld in adjusted positionby set. screws 44 threaded into the body of the head. t p

. In orderto draw the edge I 3 of the rule towards these pi-nsor bearingpoints, I provide a pin 35 having a, hook end 36 with spaced engagingpointsto extend into the groove II. This pin passes through bore 31 inthe body and its threads 38 are engaged by a nut 39 on the outer end ofthe pin35 which when turned to move the nut inwardly, abuts the body Has at .40so as to move the bodyand the edge of 'the rule inoppositedirections upon such adjustment. This nut has a knurled handle v4 I foraffording a more secure grasp, while a spring 42 is provided for tendingtomove the parts in the opposite directionv and lfor'h'olding themtight'although'yieldable as more fully explained in Patent No.1,529,209, with which I am familiar, and which is owned by my 'assignee,I 'By this arrangement I do' not have ,to accurately cut slot 23 or evenfinish it, but can 0b the surface 24 with reference to the surfaces 20and. 2| was essential.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the constructionillustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the deviceis susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by theterms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a rule, a head having a slot therein for slidablyreceiving the rule, and means in said slot for bearing against an edge'of the rule at a plurality of spaced portions therealong and movablymounted with reference to the head for movement against said edgeportion of the rule for laterally and also angularly adjusting theposition of the head with relation to the rule.

2. In combination, a rule, a center head having a slot therein forslidably receiving the rule and I provided with right angularly relatedwork engaging faces, and means for angularly adjusting said head as aunit with reference to said rule to position the edgeof the rule in anangular relation between the work-engaging faces.

3. In combination, a rule, a head having a slot therein for slidablyreceiving the rule, spaced bearing members for engaging against an edgeof said, rule and movably mounted in said head and protruding into saidslot, and means to securesai'd rule laterally and angularly withreference to said head and seated upon said bearings. 4. In combination,a center head having right angularly related work engaging faces with aslot therein for receiving a rule with one edge passing substantiallythrough the intersection of said faces, a rule in said slot having agroove in one face thereof, clamping means engaging said groove to drawthe rule towards one edge of the slot, and adjustable bearing meansmovably mounted in said head and projecting through said slot edge toengage an edge ofthe rule, said means being adjustable for laterallyshifting the rule'with reference to said head for shifting the edge ofthe rule with reference to the intersection of the faces.

5.'In combination, a center head having right angularly related workengaging faces with a slot therein for receiving a rule with one edgepassing substantially through the intersection of said faces, a rule insaid slot having a groove in one face thereof, clamping means engagingsaid groove to draw the rule towards one edge of the slot, andadjustable bearing means movably mounted in said headand projectingthrough said slot edge to engage an edge of the rule, said means beingadjustable for angularly shifting the rule with reference to said headthat it may bear a different relation to said right angular faces.

6. In combination, a center head having right angularly relatedwork-engaging faces with a slot therein for receiving a rule with oneedge passing substantially through the intersection of said faces, arule in said slot having a groove therein, means engaging said groove todraw the rule towards one edge of the slot, and bearing means projectingthrough said slot edge to engage the rule, said means being adjustablefor laterally or angularly shifting the rule with reference to said headthat it may bear a different relation to said right angular faces.

7. In combination, a center head having right angularly relatedWork-engaging faces with a slot therein for receiving a rule with oneedge passing substantially through the intersection of said the rule andhead.

8. In combination, a center head having right angularly relatedwork-engaging faces with a slot therein for receiving a rule with oneedge passing substantially through the intersection of said faces, arule movably mounted in said slot, means to draw the rule towards oneedge of the slot,

spaced pins movably mounted in said head and projecting through saidslot edge to engage the rule, and means for moving said spaced pins tovary the position of the rule and head.

9. In combination, a center head having right angularly relatedwork-engaging faces with a slot therein for receiving a rule with oneedge passing substantially through the intersection of said faces, arule movably mounted in said slot, means to draw the rule towards oneedge of the slot, spaced threaded pins projecting through said slot edgeto engage the rule and threadingly mounted in the head to vary theposition of the rule and head, and means to secure said pins in anadjusted position.

10. In combination, a center head having right angularly relatedwork-engaging faces with a slot therein for receiving a rule with oneedge passing substantially through the intersection of said faces, arule in said slot having a longitudinal groove on a side face thereof,clamping means engaging said groove to draw the rule towards one edge ofthe slot, and spaced pins movably mounted in said head and projectingthrough said slot edge to engage the rule, means for moving said spacedpins to vary the position of the rule and head, and means in said headto secure said pins in position therein.

11. In combination, a head comprising a body portion having a pair ofright angularly inclined arms extending outwardly therefrom from acommon intersection and with opposed work-engaging surfaces thereon,said body portion being integrally joined at the apex of saidintersecting arms and extending outwardly therefrom in a plane passingthrough said apex and between the planes of the arms, one of said armsand said body portion having a rule receiving slot the bottom surface ofwhich is disposed at one side of said apex and lies in a plane which isother than coincident therewith, said body having a hole therein whichis disposed transversely thereof and cross-wise with respect to saidslot, a rule movably mounted in said slot having a central longitudinalgroove on a side face thereof, a clamping pin in the hole having aninner hook end carrying spaced engaging points to engage said rulegroove, means on the outer end of said pin to clamp the pin in adjustedposition, spaced bearing pins adjustably mounted in said head andprojecting through said slot edge to engage the bottom edge of the rule,and means for adjusting said pins to shift the rule laterally orangularly with reference to said head.

12. In combination, a rule, a head having a slot therein for slidablyreceiving the rule, and a means in said slot for bearing against an edgeof the rule and movably mounted with reference to the head for laterallyand also angularly adjusting the position of the head with relation tothe rule.

JOHN S. CHAFEE.

